What you need to know as Messi, Inter Miami kick off Champions Cup at Nashville Thursday

Without Surridge available, Teal Bunbury would probably start. He scored the equalizing penalty against Colorado.

Smith said Mukhtar is back in full training and could be involved but was noncommittal.

“In the last 10 days or so there have been maybe one or two steps that have been taken that he’s had a reaction to,” Smith said. “He is back in the group and working, and there certainly will be a thought about where and how Hany might be used tomorrow.”

Orlando played poor defense against Miami, but Nashville’s back line probably won’t be as easy to penetrate with Walker Zimmerman as the anchor.

Miami’s lineup will have a slight adjustment after right back DeAndre Yedlin was traded to Cincinnati this week. Martino said the team has no natural right back at the moment, so they will improvise. Newly signed Argentine Federico Redondo is ready to play and will likely make his debut somewhere in the midfield.

“Fede is available, and we’ll have to evaluate to see if we think it is best for him to start in his debut or come on in the second half,” Martino said.

Inter Miami finalizing deal with Matias Rojas

Inter Miami leadership is not quite done with its early season roster changes.

In the span of 48 hours this week, the club traded Yedlin to FC Cincinnati and transferred midfielder Jean Mota to Brazilian team Vitoria, clearing more than $1.5 million in salary. Miami also received $172,799 in general allocation money from Cincinnati for Yedlin and a reported transfer fee of $350,000 from Vitoria for Mota.

Two weeks ago, Inter Miami transferred midfielder Gregore to Brazilian club Botafogo, unloading his $961,250 salary. Excluding Messi, Busquets and Alba, the trio of Gregore, Yedlin and Mota were the three highest-paid players remaining on the Inter Miami roster from last season. Their departures cleared roughly $3 million in salary, which will be used to buy new players.

Miami is finalizing a deal with Paraguayan national team midfielder Matias Rojas, according to a league source with knowledge of the negotiations. He is expected to sign in the coming days. At least one other player could join in addition to Rojas before the MLS primary transfer window closes April 23.

Rojas, 28, became a free agent after leaving Brazilian club Corinthians due to a contract dispute over unpaid wages, much of it in image rights, according to Brazilian news reports. Journalist Cesar Luis Merlo was the first to report the news.

Rojas was reportedly in talks with Argentine club Boca Juniors and some Mexican teams, but chose to sign with Miami.

The left-footed attacking midfielder registered three assists in 30 games since joining Corinthians last year. Before that he played for Cerro Porteno in Paraguay, and then for Argentine clubs Lanus, Defensa y Justicia, and Racing Club.

Inter Miami has made 14 changes from its 2023 roster so far.